Brittany Wants Daria
by a440
Summary: Yet another Iron Chef; when Kevin is dead, Brittany's got no one to turn to-or DOES she? #2 of The Thomson/Taylor Chronicles. Warning, minor femmeslash.
1. Prologue

Brittany Wants Daria

A trademark of MTV

First things first: Sweetest Day is an observance celebrated primarily in the Great Lakes region and parts of the Northeast United States on the third Saturday in October. It is described by Retail Confectioners International, as "much more important for candymakers in some regions than in others (Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities)" and an "occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed." Sweetest Day has also been referred to as a "concocted Promotion" created by the candy industry solely to increase sales of candy. Persistent claims have also been made that Sweetest Day was manufactured by the American Greetings Company or Hallmark Cards in order to boost sales. In 2006, Hallmark marketed 151 greeting card designs for Sweetest Day. American Greetings marketed 178.

Mostly a regional celebration in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast, Sweetest Day now is beginning to be observed in other areas as well. Ohio is one of the top states for high Sweetest Day sales. They are followed by California, Florida, Michigan and Illinois to be in the top 10 for sales on this day.

Though not as more famous than Valentine's Day, over time, it is evolving to be another holiday in which to show romantic love or appreciation to friends.

Which is where our story begins.......warning, femmeslash hiding abound...........

--a440.

Prologue

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," said the minister, presiding over the Thomsons' funeral that day in the cemetary on the second week of September; a week ago, Kevin and Brittany had got in a fight which resulted in the old punching bag routine.  
Though Doug Thomson reported the incident to the police and Brittany was arrested on assault and battery charges on the QB,  
Steve Taylor springing for his daughter's bail, for Kevin, even the most stupidest citizen of Lawndale could see the writing on the wall, that he was too stupid to graduate, and too stupid for a blonde bimbo that almost had no patience.

As such, for the first time in years, Kevin did do something--only it was a stupid thing to do; he looked in his dad's cabinet with all hid guns and rifles, and found a Marlin .444 rifle Doug had kept loaded to scare off any robbers. That fact that was weapon was loaded did the trick--all the QB did was point the rifle upward,  
bow his head close to the muzzle barrel of the Marlin, the rifle between his legs, then mutter, "God, forgive me for what I plan to do." Then by using his left toe, he depressed the trigger, blasting his brains out.

You can imagine the devistation of Doug and Charlene when they heard the noise of the gunshot and saw the grisly scene; instead of moving on with their lives and going on living after losing their only son, Doug and Charlene went to the garage where their SUV was, then Charlene attatched a rubber hose to its tail pipe and stuck the other end in the back seat window. Then, she and Doug got in, the former starting the engine, till bother died of carbon monoxide poisioning. The result was Lawndale's first triple funeral in the town's history, or as Daria put it, "a one way ticket to hell in triplicate."

As it turned out, it was (of all people) Daria and Jane that were passing by the Thomson house, and they smelled faint traces of car exhaust; Upoun opening the side door, they found the SUV engulfed in fumes and from there called 911.  
Afterwards, when Daria told Brittany the news, the head cheerleader broke into tears and cried bitterly, totally devistated with regret, having fought and hurt her now dead boyfriend, but worst of all, was the fact, that on the third Saturday in October, that Brittany had planned to celebrate Sweetest Day with the QB, but now that he and his parents were dead, the blonde now had no one to celebrate it with, and worse still, she had bought something special for the occasion and she feared it would be wasted.

That is, until a strange thing happened..........

I wonder what that strange thing could be?  
--a440.

Coming up: Who, Me? 


	2. Who, Me?

Everyone's looking for love, and as you can guess, in all the wrong places.  
--a440

Who, Me?

With Kevin out of the picture, the Lawndale Lions had lost their QB.  
And just as they did before for Tommy Sherman, Principal Angela Li of Lawndale High, arranged in the auditorium for a tribute funeral in the memory of the QB, the stage decorated with flowers, a giant poster sized image of Kevin and a banner reading WE WILL MISS YOU, KEVIN THOMSON. And in the audience, flanking a wildly bawling Brittany were Daria and Jane.

"It's a shame that one of our finest players in The Lawndale Lions would do such a thing as suicide," Li was saying, "The least he could've done was come out and confide in our consultants. Maybe his family life was crumbling, perhaps, even his love life with the head of the Lawndale Lions' cheerleading squad, Miss Taylor, and now, we may never know."

Hearing that, Brittany threw her head back and bawled even louder, as Li added, "One thing's for sure: Kevin Thomson may had been a stupid headed nut case, but it's football and the Lawndale Lions he will be remembered for--which means it'll be empty in Laaaaaaaaaawndale High and in the Lions' stadium without him.....rest in peace."

At that point, Brittany wailed bitterly and Li muttered, "Can SOMEONE get her outa here so we can all sing One Sweet Day?"

When Helen, Daria and Quinn's mom asked her daughters on the tribute at school and how Birttany felt, the sisters Morgendorffer related to her what the head cheerleader was going through; hearing that, Helen suggested that Brittany spend a weekend with them here for some counseling and a change of scenery--at least something to help her through the sorrow at hand.

"Muh-om," said Quinn, "she's a cheerleader. She'll get the house full of her perfume--and then it'll stink."

"Besides," added Daria, "what's wrong with her parents, if not her fellow cheerleaders helping her out?"

"Good question," said Helen, "and I got a good answer--like I said, a change of scenery would do her good, and besides, my advice is just what she needs, so why worry? I'll get ahold of the Taylors, post haste with my idea." Saying so, she picked up the phone and placed a call to Steve Taylor.

"So your mom invited Eep Eep It's The Road Runner to spend a weekend with you and Quinn, huh?" said Jane, while she and Daria ate their fill at The Pizza King.

"Yup," said Daria. "Doomsday is at hand for Saturday and Sunday, in October, no less. After today, consider me gone."

"I just thought of something," mused the Lane gal. "the day after tomorrow will be the third Sunday of October--Sweetest Day."

"I know what Sweetest Day is," said the brain, "so what of it? I got my share of gifts to give Tom for the occasion, over at the local arcade."

"But Brittany......," said Jane. "The word's out she had some special Sweetest Day gift to give to Kevin, until he took his life......what a waste of money to get a gift for a dumb guy who signs his death warrant."

"For me, the condemned will eat a hearty meal," said the braind, who finished up the last of the pizza.

Saturday, the day Brittany arrived at the Morgendorffers , with her suitcases, and now she was saying to Helen, "Thanks for inviting me, I mean, maybe a respite can help me with losing Kevvy.....that broke my heart, and what hurts me is: we had a dreadful fight before he took a pot shot at his brains......" Already, tears were welling up in her eyes.....

"None of us had any idea how Kevin felt," said Helen, who place a comforing hand on the blonde's shoulder, as they sat at the dining table. "If he and his folks knew suicide is a big fat sin, so they're all roasting in hell. I've could've helped that boy out......."

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" wept the bimbo.

"Calm down," said Helen, "we'll help you though these troubled times. I may know someone that specializes in grief outreach."

Calming down, the blonde added, "But the thing is: I bought a special gift of roses and chocolates and a bottle of champagne for my Kevvy on Sweetest Day tomorrow and there's no way I can see those costly gifts go to waste!!"

At that moment, Jake, who was ready to place the plates on the table, said, "Hey,  
thanks for offering to make the meal, Britt-o."

"Believe me, I was lucky I took up cooking on the side of cheerleading from Ashley Amber,"  
said Brittany, who calmed for the moment. "but those gifts....."

"Couldn't you give them to someone you liked so much, just you had with Kevin?" suggested Helen.

At that moment, seeing Daria come down the stairs, the head cheerleader mused on that, saying, "Maybe I could.............."

Later that night, when everyone was sleeping, Brittany, came into (discreetly) Daria's bedroom, in her jet black and glowing stars long shirt and boy shorts and stood before the sleeping auburn, stared down longingly at her, knelt before Daria and said, "If I ever had someone who was as close to me as Kevvy was.......Jodie is one thing, but you were another.  
Y' know, even with glasses on, beneath the unflattering clothing, you can be so beautiful.  
I can see why Trent Lane, Ted De Witt Clinton and now Tom Sloane fell for you........"

Then a thought came to mind, the blonde saying, "All the times you've helped me out, now it's only right to pay you back......." Getting up, she went out........then came back, setting up before Daria's bed a bouquet of flowers, a box of candy, a bottle of champagne and a card;  
after that, she bent and kissed Daria's cheek and said, "Happy Sweetest Day, Daria," then slipped out the door.

In the morning, when Daria woke up, she saw all the fancy gifts before her, saying, "Tom must've sneaked in here like a thief in the night." But upon seeing the fancy intricate card, decorated with doves and hearts, it dawned on her that today was Sunday-  
Sweetest Day. Puzzled, she opened the card, and read the elaborate poem, and was jolted off her bed when she saw, "Love, Brittany."

"Oh boy," said the auburn. "Is she serious?"

That was when Brittany bounded into the bedroom and said brightly, "Surprise, Daria!  
Happy Sweetest Day!! I had bought those for Kevvy, but after he died, I couldn't bear to see them wasted, so I gave them to you!!"

"Now I know you're serious," said Daria. "Brittany, what's the big idea? You act like you had a girl crush on me."

"You COULD say that," said the blonde, doing a shy couquette. "You were always so kind to me, helping me out, and stuff, so I figured, you were the closest to me next to Kevvy, and, in some ways, I kind of thought of you as so beautiful, even behind the glasses, even beneath your coat and skirt."

"Me beautiful?" said the brain in disdain. "Surely you jest."

"No I don't," said the head cheerleader. "I kind of had a slight girl crush on you since the first day you helped me out with perspective; that was one reason I invited you to my party; another was because I sort of fell for you and wanted to be with you in some way. Please don't turn down my gifts, Daria, after I spent my money to buy them, please!!"

"OK, thanks," said Daria begrudgently," but just let the rest of my family get wind of it, lest it'll be Lawndale's scandal of the century."

"I promise. Thanks, Daria!!" said Brittany before she kissed the auburn on the mouth and ran out.  
"The holidays," muttered Daria, "just got worse all the time."

Later that night, Daria went on her Sweetest Day date with Tom, exchanged gifts and were at the arcade, beating each other's butts off at the games, then a meal at the Pizza King.

"You know," said Tom at one point, "we should learn to be thankful for holidays, since they only come once a year. That,  
and the fact that they carry a special meaning for the ones you celebrate them with, especially in matters of gifts."

"Maybe you should check out Holiday Island behind The Good Time Emporium," said Daria. "I wasn't much on holidays back then. But I only do them for the sake of my family and my friends--and you too."

"Well, it sure ain't asking a lot," said Tom. "But supposing I had a birthday present for you, and if anything happened to you, the present would be wasted."

Somehow, what Tom said, was similar to Brittany's dilemma, how she had bought her gifts for Kevin, only to lose hope after his suicide, and how she was desperate to celebrate Sweetest Day and not waste the gifts she spent a lot of money for. But what puzzled, if not surprised the brain was the possibility that the blonde's confession of her "girl crush" on the cynic. Was it possible Brittany was a lesbian, if not a bi? But then, it seemed fair that Daria at least come up with some way to thank Brittany for the gifts to put her at ease.

In any case, she got up, and said, "Be right back," to Tom and slipped out, into the night, to where there was a flower shop, paid for a special arranged delivery, then hightailed it back to The Pizza King and her date.

Hours after coming home, Daria was doing her book report on Sun Tzu, Quinn was yaking it up on her phone to one of fellow fashion freaks, and Brittany was finishing with cleaning the dishes with Jake and Helen, true to form, was rambling on her phone to Eric--and that was when there was a knock on the door, just as Quinn finished her phone call; answering it,  
she found a deliveryman with a bouquet of flowers, a huge whte teddy bear and a bottle of champagne of Wild Star.

"Delivery for Brittany Taylor," said the deliveryman.

"If it's C.O.D.," said Quinn, "ask my mom, she's good at that."

"It's all paid for," said the deliveryman."

After signing for it, the redhead carried in the whole package to Brittany who had arrieved, saying, "EEP!! I didn't know someone had a crush on me without Kevvy knowing--unless it was his ghost that sent it to me. Champagne, roses, baby's breath and-  
OH!!-- a beautiful teddy bear for me!!"

"Any idea who sent you that?" said Daria.

"Shouldn't all packages like that carry a card?" said Helen. "Read the card and see."

Opening up the card--an ornate Sweest Day card at that--the blonde's eyes lit up at what was in it, reading, "'To someone special the deserves better, even if all she does is play with her pigtails, Happy Sweetest Day, Brittany Taylor, a friend.'"

"At least SOMEONE was thinking of you," said Jake.

"Could be.......," said the head cheerleader, who was gradually putting two and two together.

As such, later, when Daria was finishing her book report in her bedroom, when a happy faced Brittany came in and said, "Daria.....thanks for giving me those Sweetest Day presents--that was the sweetest thing you done for me, in making me the happiest girl in the Lawndale High cheerleading squad."

"You knew it was me that sent you those gifts?" said Daria.

"Who else do you know would write in the card with such a sarcastic message?" said the blonde. "It's what makes you, you, you know?"

"Least I could to get you to stop carrying a torch and bicker over your Sweetest Day blues," said Daria. "We're even, so no worries."

"Thanks, Daria!!" gushed the head cheerleader, who did the the most unthinkable thing--she jumped onto Daria's lap, hugged her close and gave the auburn the biggest kiss--no, make that, the biggest french kiss, entwining her tongue with the brain's intensely kissing her in the same way she used to do with Kevin, the cynic, bewildered at all that, then got up, breaking the kiss.

"Cut it out!!" yelled Daria. "You crazy idjit!!"

Blushing, Brittany said nervously, "Sorry, got carried away, but I just had to do that."

And with that, the blonde bounded out from the room, Daria trapped in a malestron of confusion, puzzlement--and regret, for having bought those Sweetest Day gifts for the bimbo......now it was like taking the thorn out from the lion's paw, resulting in a lot of graditude.

When you think you try to do something nice, it hits a few monkey wrenches --a440.

Coming up: Love Ain't For Keeping. 


	3. Love Ain't For Keeping

The J. Geils Band WAS right-love stinks -a440

Love Ain't For Keeping.

Total confusion. That was how Daria summed it all up.

Ever since that weekend and that unexpected kiss, she had been tossed and turned in the flotsam and jetsam of the fact Brittany had revealed her sapphic love crush on her. And Daria didn't like, no, she hated Brittany, knowing the auburn hated the blonde to all four corners of the earth, That bimbo could never be the ideal lezzie version of a soul mate, not with her quick temper, her brutality and her squeaks, especially her "EEP!" But that was before the kiss-a kiss that was something she had hoped to share with Tom, a kiss that left her breathless and placed her adrift in the clouds with a tingly sensation she would never forget. But the disturbing fact was that particular kiss came from Brittany, another girl, the head of Lawndale High's cheerleading squad. And Daria hated that fact-so why couldn't she get the kiss out from her mind? Why did it taste so sweet?  
Why did she feel like wanting to kiss back? Already a part of her was dreaming,  
knowing what it would be like to kiss Brittany, to love her, to hold her and kiss her...did it feel like she was falling in love with Brittany Taylor...?

In fact, there was a good reason why, though she hadn't thought of it and thought she had forgotten it until that fateful Sweetest Day: That even before that happened, that Daria was bi. A lesbian-or was it bi? Anyway, the day she first met Brittany at Lawndale High, the brain sort of tentively fell for her, that is, she felt attracted to the blonde, But given the fact that Brittany was at the time dating Kevin, and after all, there was, so it seemed, that only team players could date cheerleaders. So time and again, Daria tried to shake off her love for the bimbo,  
often botching it up at first, until Jane, Trent and Tom took her mind off her troubles,  
to the point of forgetting such a love for a hot headed bimbo was a thing of the past,  
as if it had never existed...until that kiss unlocked a secret forgotten, trapping the poor auburn in a vortex of love, of desire, of wanting to kiss Brittany, to touch her,  
to hold her and love her...

Stop it. Or else

Shaking the absurd thought, Daria could only get back to her schoolwork and her hanging 'round with Jane and her love life with Tom, hoping it was all just a phase...  
until one day in October...

Coming home, Daria checked her email, and found one that took her by surprise reading, "You have been cordially invited to eat with me at Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth, Texas, as my way of saying thanks for everything and as a gesture of goodwill, along with the fact I got bored, that is, and got two round trip plane tickets to Fort Worth-if it's OK with your parents, that is. Love, Brittany Celine Taylor."

That threw Daria for a loop, meaning that her hypothesis on Brittany having a crush on her was right, that anything that had a thing connected with the Sweetest Day incident was far from over. Given the fact the Taylors were rich, it wasn't surprising as to how Brittany was able to afford such a costly trip from Maryland (where Lawndale was located) and Texas, however, it was also no surprise both the auburn and blonde had at times adored Mexican food, but to get an invite to a place like Joe T. Garcia's was,  
even to Daria, considered an honor, for even she knew that what Chicago was to deep dish pizza, Joe T. Garcia's was to Mexican food, with even the famous spending their money to jet to Fort Worth to fufill their Joe T. Garcia fix-something that not even Tom was able to afford...yet. At first, the brain was doubtful, as to why the head cheerleader would invest in so much money just to be with her, yet but a part of her-that same old part that had wanted her that she had buried so long ago,-was looking foward to meeting the bimbo again.

"What a crazy world," muttered Daria. "Why did I have to be born bi? Why did we ever come to Lawndale? Why do I have those feelings for her? Why did one kiss trigger off a girl crush I haven't felt after so many years?"

Eventually though, after getting permission from Jake and Helen on the promise to call when to and from the destination, etc., Daria soon joined Brittany on a Mohawk Airlines flight to Fort Worth where they rented a car prior to speeding off to a place that was world famous as the Emeril's eateries worldwide-the one and only Joe T. Garcia's, where, in the patio section of the place, the brain and the head cheerleader made short work of eating platters of nachos, beef tacos and chili, and drank diet sodas in addition to the four pounds of food they had. And neither girl had it so good when it came to such superb food like they had eaten before. Finally, it was Brittany who said, "What do think now, Daria? You pleased that you came with me?"

"It sure puts Taco Tom's to shame," replied Daria. "Anyway, thanks for asking me out, I should tell Tom 'bout it; maybe he and his Sloane treasury can spring for a trip here."

"Y' know," said the blonde, "you're the second one that I invited here; the other one was Kevvy, for his birthday-he put away five pounds of food in one sitting."

Somehow the mentioning of Kevin had the girls silent for a moment, then the bimbo added, "Don't get me wrong-there's times I wanna stand up to Kevvy and get rid of him so much, but NOT THAT WAY, when it came to his suicide. As such, I'll never get over losing Kevvy ...at least I got you to look up to."

"Just as long as it gets you and your pom poms back on your feet," said Daria. "Guees there was more to you than meets the eye."

"Could be," said the grinning head cheerleader, who took to twirling her omnipresent pigtails, adding, "Another round of nachos for the road?"

"I don't know," said the brain hesitantly, "I only hope my Montana Cabin Fund can afford that, along with what we just ate," before reaching into her pocket for the money.

"No, no," said Brittany, who held up her hand, "the treat's on me, I insist."

"As long as it takes to hurry up so I can get outa Texas in a hurry," said the auburn.

"You don't like bein' with me?" said an almost hurt yet quizzical Brittany. "After the way I bent over backwards for you and our first date?"

"First date?" echoed Daria. "Listen, Brittany. I was born in Texas and more than anything, me and my family were desperate to escape from there, mostly from a lot of kooks that lived there, and mostly from two dumbo guys that were even dumber than Kevin, and were perverted than Upchuck."

"Dumber than Kevvy and perverted than Upchuck?" said the bimbo. "Sounds like some competition. You knew their names?

"Beavis and Butt Head," replied the brain.

Hearing that, the head cheerleader was laughing her head off, saying in between giggles, "BUTT HEAD? You've got be joking!"

"Nope, sorry," said the auburn. "Those guys were always making bad passes at me, Quinn and most every gal in Highland High, stole a riding mower once, painted a cat's butt, burned down Tom Anderson's house and even used his trash can lids for Frisbees. Worse still, they even called me Diarrhea."

"D-AA-R-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-A, EWWWWWWWWWW!" said Brittany, grimacing. "You trying to make me throw up? No wonder you left Texas."

"So now you know," said Daria, "and knowing's half the battle."

"Yo, Joe," said the blonde, a gentle smile on her face and it was at that point the brain spaced out without intent, digesting over the fact that the head cheerleader had verified the fact that the whole invite had been a date the whole time-and a costly one at that, but to a rich girl like Brittany, that hardly mattered-at least from the bimbo's viewpoint anyway. A definite girl crush coming from someone that loved to twirl her pigtail. Just then, Brittany broke into the auburn's reverie with, "What's the matter?"

"What?" said the brain, absently reaching out for something on the table.

"What you looking for?" asked the blonde.

"Sorry," said Daria, sheepishly. "Guess I was getting the tortillia chips."

Eager to please her friend (in many ways indeed from Daria's POV), the head cheerleader gently slid the bowl with the chips in it to her-and each other's hand touched the other, pausing there for much longer than necssasary, each girl blushing, then the auburn took a handful of the said chips, eating them and saying, "Maybe we can order yet another round of nachos-even if it means having to diet till Thanksgiving."

"Sure thing," said the bimbo, who lifted her finger to alert a waiter, and that was when Daria, for whatever reason, moved her right leg under the table two inches till her knee gently brushed against Brittany's; the blonde responded by pressing her knee against the brain's and from there, they remained that way throughout the meal, right down to their finishing up their nachos...

Halloween, along with October passed, as the year shifted into November, and it was on the fourth day when Daria and Jane were in their usual watering hole known as The Pizza King.

"I forget again," said Daria, "was it Toto's Dave Paich that died?"

Shaking her head, Jane replied, "No, no, you're thinking of Jeff Porcaro and besides, Dave retried years after that, having been replaced by the one and only Greg Phillinganes."

"Sorry, I forgot," said the auburn. "But then, Jeff was one of the greatest drummers, make no mistake, so I guess he qualifies as the American Carl Palmer."

"Carl Palmer?" said the black haired Lane gal. "Well, I wouldn't doubt that, given his amazing prowess.  
No could play the drums like he and Jeff could, so I guess that makes Carl the British Jeff Porcaro."

"Seems that way," said Daria, who downed her last slice of pizza.

"Anyhoo," added Jane, "the word's out that you and Bit Bit went off on the most costliest date to Joe T. Garcia's;  
you know I dig Mexican food, you could've invited me."

"Sorry," said the auburn, "but she invited only me, and the fact is I think she's got a girl crush on me."

"Hoo boy," said Jane. "Houston, we've got a problem. If Tom found out a cheerleader's got a crush on you, he'd kick your butt-y."

"That ain't the worst of it," added Daria, "for when I first came to Lawndale High, when I first saw Brittany, I sort of-UGH-fell for her with my own girl crush for her. Now I don't even know what I am no more, straight,  
lesbian, bi or all of the above, or maybe what I got is a phase just as Britt's got one herself-hoo boy..."

"Bi, bi, Ms. Lawndalian Pie. If it's a phase, the maybe, it'll pass and you can get back to Tom and Brittany'll move on to another avarage jock," said Jane, "or your money back."

"Famous last words," muttered the brain.

How right she was, because when she and Jane went to the toilet after finishing, Daria entered her stall-and called out,  
"Jane, check it out."

Upon entering the stall with her amiga, Jane could see where the auburn pointed out on the left stall wall: a rainbow colored chalk design of ornate hearts, stars and moon surrounding the huge lettering in the most gorgeous font:  
BRITTANY WANTS DARIA.

As if the writing on the wall wasn't the worst, Jake and Helen were out on a business dinner with the Landons, so Daria and Quinn were alone in the house-but not for long, when Daria was trying to study on a Kafka book report,  
when the most noisiest drum playing could be heard, and that was when Quinn came inside and said, "Daria, stop playing that Blue Man Group disc! It sounds like the natives're getting restless tonight!"

"But I haven't been playing any discs lately," said the brain. "Besides, I thought it was you."

"Me?" shot back the redhead. "Whoever heard of me playing any classic rock, much less something with a lot of heavy drums?"

"Must be Trent and his band trying to get me back, under Jane's yenta dirty work," said Daria, feeling disgusted.  
"She seemed chagrined over switching over to Tom-wait, it seems to be coming outside in the front yard."

Getting up, the misery chick, with her sister following, crossed over to the F.C Veep's bedroom, stared out the window-and were thunderstruck, because out there on the Morgendorffer front yard lawn, playing a drumkit with twelve cymbals, seven tom toms, a snare drum and two bass drums, was Brittany.

Unable to believe what they were seeing, the sisters Morgendorffer could only stare and be atonished before Daria demanded, "Brittany, what the %*#$^& you doing out here, disturbing the peace?"

Stopping her playing, the bimbo replied, "Can't you guess? I've been serenading you."

"With a drumkit?" said Quinn. "I've seen guys try to do that with me by lip syncing with karaoke MP3 players,  
like The 3 J's did last month."

"They did?" said the head cheerleader. "I've got to remember that next time."

"Least Tom didn't do something inane like that," said the auburn, before turning back to Brittany and saying brusquely, "Brittany, you could get busted by the fuzz for noise pollution-SCRAM!"

"Ged outa here, Brittany and leave us alone!" yelled Quinn. "You want the pigs on your butt?"

Disgruntled, the blonde said gloomily, "Everyone's a critic," then got up from her drummers' throne and started taking down her kit, as Daria exited her sister's room...but Quinn pushed off a flower pot she had on her window sill; there was a crash and Brittany yelled "OWTICH!"

Resuming her Kafka homework, Daria could see just how serious the bimbo was when it came to her girl crush,  
and at that point, Quinn entered saying, "That Brittany's just as weird as Kevin was-but wait, she said she was serenading you. Daria, you don't think she's got the hots for me or you? EWWWWWWWW!"

"I hope not...," said the auburn uneasily.

Even when it came to avoiding Brittany, particularly for the next several days, Daria, at the same time, couldn't stop thinking of the head cheerleader, wanting her, to love her, till it got to the point where she was torn between avoiding the bimbo morning, noon and night, and wanting to face her, to be sure if she was harboring any feelings for Brittany, despite her current feelings for Tom. In the end, the brain chose the latter for now, in which even in school, the stores, The Pizza King and at home, the auburn avoided the blonde, hiding and traveling incognito and in disguise, whith Jane's help-which went for a week, till it got to the point when Daria would cringe and then hide each time she heard the bimbo called for the auburn, sometimes worried, sometimes forlorn and other times heartbroken. Hopefully, by the time she graduated, she could look for someplace that gave her peace of mind.

Until one day when her parents were out, as was Quinn, Daria had tuned in to Sick Sad World, until she heard a crashing sound downstairs and muttered, "Oh, great, something else to add to my misery," before getting up,  
heading downstairs and stepping out the front door-and that was when she saw to two trash cans laying on their sides, the trash spilled out.

"Oh, great," moaned the auburn, "dad's going to have a fit and rant on the squirrels doing that." From there, she righted the cans then got the trash back in the said cans and went back in the house to wash from the trash, before heading back up to her bedroom and resumed her viewing, just as the announcer said, "There's some kunoichi on the beach, both Japanese and American ready to strut and duke it out at the same time in their new beachwear. Bikini gals with katanas, coming up next, on Sick Sad World."

Suddenly, right after the announcer, a new voice said, "Sounds interesting," which jolted the brain to her feet as she yelled out, and whirled to see Brittany behind her, in the space between the wall and the door.

Upon getting her breath back, Daria could only glare at the bimbo, demanding, "How'd the *%#$^& you get in here?"

"Forgive me, Daria," replied the head cheerleader, "but it was the only way I could get inside to see you, since all you do is avoid me and stay hidden, but what I did was kick over those trash cans, so the noise could get you to come out,  
that way, while your back was turned, I could sneak in."

"That was a dirty trick, you know?" said the brain crisply. "And such dirty tricks like that can best be summed up in what William Shakespere once said: 'Ah, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to decive.'"

"You know a better way to get to you so we could talk?" shot back the blonde. "So why were you avoiding me last week? You never returned the emails I sent and I've searched the whole school, even the whole town looking for you. I've been waiting for you each day after school, and you slip away and I don't see you. For that matter, I haven't seen you since that date at Joe T. Garcia's."

"Listen," said Daria, her bluster wavering, "I know for a fact you've had a lesbian crush on me since Kevin died, but let's not forget I love Tom-at least it's what I tell myself, and all you're doing is tossing a monkey wrench into the romance works."

"Think I don't know that?" said Brittany, twirling her pigtails. "But if the truth be known, I fell in love with you, even BEFORE Kevvy died."

"Before~~~~~~~?" stammered the auburn.

"Before," said the blonde, "since you first came to Lawndale High, but with my dating Kevvy, I couldn't decide who to love, so for the next many years, I held back whatever feelings I had for you, yet I couldn't help but think of you now and then..."

"Why didn't you tell me that before?" said the brain.

"Uh, you didn't ask me," said the head cheerleader. "So you don't love me-then why did you get me some gifts on Sweetest Day? And agree to a date at Joe T. Garcia's, much less space out and touch my hand and touch my knee with yours?"

Having been boomeranged with that query, the brain reluctanly stammered, "You got me...I DID have a sort of crush on you when I first came to Lawndale High, but I wasn't cut cut out to express myself, even with feelings."

"Try me," said the bimbo, who drew herself closer to Daria.

"I...," said the auburn, "fell for you, but at the time your were spoken for when it came to you and Kevin-I admit it-I wasn't sure what I am now, straight, lesbian, bi or whatever, I don't know no more, and it's left me wondering what I truly was, and it's got me all mixed up inside for years. At least Jane, Trent and Tom came by to help me to forget my worries-besides, I always thought cheerleaders only dated team members, and to top it off,  
someone like you wouldn't be into the same tastes I've had-foreign films, classic rock, anime, blah, blah, blah."

"WHO CARES?" said Brittany, who now did the unthinkable-she tackled the brain onto her bed, laying on top of her with her face close to Daria's, saying with growing passion with each phrase, "When two people love each other, they don't need to give a hang 'bout each other's ways of life since opposites attract-no, all they need to do, is to love one another, and caress one another and to-MMMM, KISS YOU!"

On those words, the head cheerleader unrestrainly, wildly and passionately smother a lot of kisses all over the surprised and soon to be furious auburn who kicked and fought, trying to break loose, shouting, "Stop it, Brittany! Get off before I call a cop! I ain't ready for something like that!"

"But I am," said the blonde. "Kiss me, Daria!" then resumed her kisses, covering Daria's face, forehead and mouth with candy pink lip gloss, stirring feelings in her, till the auburn, boiling between love and hate, lifted up one hand and then brutally landed a the hardest slap across the bimbo's face, causing her to fall off of the brain, and land on the floor, the rest of her face turning red and covered with streaming tears as she bawled her loudest, wailing and screamed, "Daria,  
how could you, after everything I did for you? I want you so much, please don't break the heart that loves you!"

"Kevin was bad enough," said a grim Daria, "but you had to be nuts. What a crybaby."

"I -LOVE- YOU, DARIA!" wailed Brittany. "Even you admitted you were in love with me, why can't you tell me you love me, just as I told you? You're all I got!"

"And I say you're a mental case," said the brain, who grabbed, then dragged the blonde over her knee and brutally spanked her as hard as she could for an hour, as the bimbo wailed, caterwauled, kicked, fought, cried, bawled and screamed. Then the auburn picked up and carried the whimpering girl down the staris and literally kicked the head cheerleader out from the house, Brittany landing on her behind on the grass which broke her fall.

"You &^$%$* lesbian," roared Daria, "look what you've done to my way of thinking! Why I got you those Sweetest Day gifts for you is beyond me!"

"First Kevvy and now you!" wept the blonde. "You've got to take me back, I'll do anything for you, please!"

"Then scram before I call the police, and I don't mean the rock band!" said the brain. "Better still, I may call your parents."

"EEP! squeaked the bimbo before she got up and ran as fast as she could.

Closing the front door, the auburn said, "Stupid girl," and went back to the TV, yet she couldn't help but regret what she had done to Brittany. Why had she acted like a tyrant and hurt the head cheerleader? Why hadn't she come out and told her she had loved her, despit the confession she had said? Why hadn't she given in the Brittany's loving attempt to make out with her, to open up and love back, even kiss back? Despite everything getting back to normal and Daria getting back to her job as a cynic, she was trapped in a malestrom of regret, of want and desire, despite her claim of her not loving the blonde. Worst of all was the worry of her future with Tom, Quinn and her parents-all of which, for the next seven days before the upcoming Thanksgiving week, would haunt the poor brain to no end...

Whoever said that you always hurt the one you love was right on the money. And poor Daria is torn between two lovers. True, I didn't expect her to be that cold and rough with Brittany, but you would too if someone was that annoying to you, yet I also couldn't blame Britt either, when it comes to love. Guess love can be bad luck.  
-a440

Coming up: "You're Breaking My Heart"


	4. You're Breaking My Heart

Maybe it's better to have loved an outcast than never to have loved at all. Sure, and R.P. Mac Murphy was a real nut.  
-a440

"You're Breaking My Heart"

Yet another week went by since Daria had kicked Brittany out (literally), just before the upcoming Thanksgiving, and for the first time in days there were no emails, nor anything else from Brittany to annoy the brain, but even so, she couldn't stop thinking of the head cheerleader, nor stop regretting over having treated her so poorly; the auburn had a chance to express to the bimbo that she loved, but her cynic side got in the way. In fact, at one point, the brain was daydreaming that she was standing in a vast field of wild flowers, a garden with blue skies, and with The Electric Light Orchestra's Strange Magic playing, Daria scanned the plains-

-and saw, 50 yards from her at the north side of the field, Brittany, whose face lit up upon spotting the brain, squealed, "Hi, baby!" then held out her arms, running in slomo, just as the auburn ran to her at the same speed, her arms also extended out...then meeting and sweeping each other in a big hug,  
each other's mouth meeting the other, then each girl kissing each other deeply as they slomo twirled round and round, each other's tongue twisting with the other-and that was when Jake's voice cut in, calling out, "Hey, kiddo! Come and eat!"

Shaking herself out from the dream, an embarrased Daria got up from the bed and came down and dined on spaghetti with her family. So far, it seemed the calm had finally settled in, until the phone rang and Helen got it, saying, "Oh,  
is that you, Steve? What's up? We were just-WHAT? Not again! Poor girl!  
I was so sure she had gotten over her heartbreak! She what? Oh no! Well,  
maybe I can refer to you some grief outreach counselors for her. OK, thanks.  
Take care."

"Trouble?" said Jake as Helen hung up.

"The worst kind," said the lawyer glumly. "Steve Taylor just said his daughter Brittany took a turn for the worse and relapsed back to her depression mood; she doesn't come off her bed, unless she uses the bathroom, showers and goes to school. She hardly eats, and at one point begged her parents to let her die, or better still, give her a gun and/or a knife to end it all; in fact, she tried to hang herself in the garage,and would had, if Ashley Amber hadn't stopped her in time. Worst of all, she's been crying much of the day."

"That sucks," said the Morgendorffer patriarch. "Maybe some Morgendorffer Counseling would help."

"Poor Brittany," said Quinn. "I'll see if The Fashion Club can help."

Daria, on the other hand, froze like an iceberg upon hearing that Brittany had attempted to lynch herself-all because she had rejected and hurt the head cheerleader and all because a part of her cynic side refused to allow her to reveal the truth to the blonde; true, the auburn had wanted the bimbo to meet her end, well that was one thing, but to want her, let alone anyone dead...that settled it-the brain vowed that if she ever got a chance to meet Brittany again, she would putaside her rep and confess to her, to makes amends, no matter the cost, of her family, Tom, Jane-but then, Jane trusted Daria bar none...

Daria and Jane were on their way to Lawndale High, when the former related the circumstances at hand, and the Lane gal said in surprise, "So Brittany tried to end her life because your cynical part held back your real love that you had for her years ago and that you gave her the heave ho? Surely you jest."

"I don't jest nor joust," said the auburn. "Right now, I've got to make up for that boo boo before she does take her life. We Morgendorffers hate having guilty consiences."

"Who was it that said you had some moments in compassion?" said Jane. "But then,  
you sure it's also because you never had a chnce to kiss B. T. back? Wait-supposing you did save Eep Eep, It's The Road Runner from heartbreak...it'll mean living a double life with Tom in the day and Britters in the night. How you plan to deal with the T man, not to mention your family?"

"Hopefully me and B.T. will try to keep what we're feeling for each other a secret an try to act like normal till we graduate," replied Daria.

"Good luck trying," said Jane with a smirk.

Upon entering the Lawndale High building, Daria and Jane were met with the rest of the rest of Brittany's fellow cheerleaders, Angie, Lisa and Nikki, who said, "Daria, you're our only hope for our fearless leader-can you tell what's wrong with her?"

"Didn't the Taylors tell the school of the matters at hand?" said the brain.

"That and much worse," said Angie."Poor Brittany's been for the past few days with her eyes and face red and swollen from crying, and that she's been trying to drown her sorrows at that local roadhouse up the street."

"Least she didn't wind up in the drunk tank," said Jane.

"That wasn't all," said Lisa. "she's doing crummy at cheerleading; last time, she scored in the 1,7 timing mark."

"One point seven?" said Daria. "That don't sound that bad."

"NOT one point seven," said Nikki, "one HOUR and seven was so limp as a dishrag, we had to carry her to the showers to revive her."

It was at that moment that Quinn, with Stacy, Tiffany and Sandi in tow ran up to Daria,  
saying, "Daria, we've got a problem! Brittany's holed up in the batroom stall with a piece of mirror glass, saying she's going to end it all!"

"Quinn," said the auburn frostily, "don't joke with stuff like that."

"It's no joke," said Stacy. "She said she was planning to cut her throat-or was it her wrists? I don't remember."

"She'd better not make a mess of the bathroom, is all I can say on that," said Sandi.

"Cutting herself and spilling blood," said Tiffany, "but the fact she broke a mirror just to cut herself-that means seven years bad luck, ew..."

In any case, Daria and Jane swept past The Fashion Club, who followed them with the cheerleaders down the hall where they weren't prepared for what they now saw at the door to the girls bathroom-

-and found Jodie, Mack, Andrea, The 3 J's, and some of the faculty crowding the said door, Ms. Li saying to Daria as she arrived, "Ms. Morgendorffer, it's God's will that you're here. Given your skills, maybe you can talk Ms. Taylor out of her suicide fixation, for the honor of Laaaaaaaawndale High."

"The old misery Chick routine," said the auburn. "Well, wish me luck; the rest of you wait outside, and if I need any help, I'll call you."

So saying, Daria entered the bathroom and searched the stalls, calling out, "Brittany?"

From the fourth stall to the right, the blonde could be heard sobbing, "Go away, Daria. you come to give me more hate?  
Please don't tell me no more lies...you're breaking my heart..."

"I can't make you trust me," said the brain, "but please listen, all joking aside, we need to talk, i promise not to hurt you,  
because I got something real to tell you, with...all my love..."

"All your love?" said the head cheerleader, whose voice sounded hesitant. "If I let you in, you won't hurt me, nor break my heart?"

"I promise," said Daria, who saw to the left the shattered mirror over the sinks, a piece missing.

"Fourth stall," said brittany, who unlocked the stall door and the auburn entered; once inside, the brain could tell just what the bimbo had gone through: dark circles under her eyes, snags in her hair and the missing mirror glass shard she held in one hand.

Taking a breath to gather whatever courage there was, the brain said hesitantly, "Brittany...remember when I admitted my love for you...how much do you love me?"

Calming down, the blonde drew near Daria and said, "As much as my whold body allows it, just so much the same amount that I love Kevvy..."

Tensing up for the outcome, the brain took the plunge, saying, "I did hope to kiss you back when you first kissed me-sorry, it took me a long time to say it, but better late than never, I mean, I wasn't born to express myself well, but, what the hey? Brittany Celine Taylor, I love you."

"WH-AT?" breathed the bimbo.

Drawing her face closer to Brittany's, Daria stated with emphesis, "I-LOVE-YOU!" before grabbing the blonde in a squeeze at her waist, and kissed her deeply as hard and loving as she could...at first, the head cheerleader tried to pull back in shock, but then she gave in, dropping the mirror shard which fell and broke in pieces on the floor as she wrapped her arms 'round the auburn's neck, turning loose her now unbridaled love full strength, both girls giving as good as they got, holding close, their bodies molded, each girl tasting and savoring the taste of each other's mouths, when it came to Brittany's lip gloss and Daria's mouthwash, each tongue twirling around the other...for Daria all the passion she had for the likes of Trent, Tom, and now Brittany was surging through her body, and with good reason: at last, she was touching the blonde, feeling her body, kissing her, moaning with her, as the time seemed to slip away...

Brittany had been in the grip of unrequited love and depression, but the fact that Daria was holding and kissing her, was like taking a weight off her, so it was no wonder she and the brain were kissing, holding, moaning, necking and petting just as the head cheerleader used to do with Kevin, And now at last her dream was coming true,and the blonde couldn't had been more happier...right up to when they broke the kiss, the bimbo gently crying happy tears which the brain kissed away and said, "I love you, Daria..."

"I love you too," said the auburn. "Let's beat it."

Taking Brittany's hand, Daria came outside the bathroom, to the surprise of everyone, Jane included, before they cheered and clapped in relief as they went down the hall.

Some wag did say the patient always falls for the doctor, and right here, at least Daria finally got a lot off her mind-  
and something else, thus saving Brittany from the same fate that claimed Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest-only it seems those two cuckoos may still be flying...  
-a440

Coming up: Brittany Loves Daria


	5. Brittany Loves Daria

The plot thickens and the romance between two worlds intensifies...good time to break for a commercial.  
-a440

Brittany Loves Daria

All of Lawndale High was soon abuzz with Daria saving Brittany from her suicide attempt,  
Ms. Li broadcasting the news over the public address system now and then, extoling the heroic efforts of the auburn, over what she did that would go down in "Laaaaaawndale High history," which burned up the brain more often than not. It got even worse when she and Jane came into The Pizza King afterward and was greeted by much of the L.H. students, beginning with Angie, Lisa and Nikki, who did a special cheer for her and picked her up and gave the auburn a few tosses in the air, cheering, "Daria, rah, rah rah! Daria, rah, rah rah! Daria, rah, rah rah! Daria, rah,rah rah!" then carried her to a table where they had set up with Ultra Cola, onion breadsticks, romaine salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and a cheese pizza garnished with parmesan cheese and onion.

"What's all that?" said the brain.

"Can't you guess?" said Angie, "it's our way of saying thanks for saving our fellow cheerleader from the first suicide in Lawndale High."

"You saved one of our own," said Lisa, "that you did. The Lawndale Lions cheerleading squad wouldn't be the same without Brittany."

"And as such," said Nikki, "we're in your debt. Anything you want, just name it."

"Well, you got to admit," said a noncommittal Jane, "it's not everyday you get quite a pizza feast, so-luncheon for two."

Just then, Tom showed up and came to Daria and Jane's table, taking his place there, saying, "Is that seat taken?"

"OK, boss," said the grinning auburn.

"Luncheon for three," said the Lane gal. "Good thing you weren't there at Lawndale High today."

"I heard what happened," said Tom, "from Jodie Landon. Y' know, it's the second time you saved that girl-for a while, it looked bad."

"Bad wasn't the word for it," said Mack Jordan. "Daria, you got the knack for solving a few problems."

"No thanks," said Daria, "someone else can get the knack and hang out with Sharona because good girls don't do what I do."

"While we're on that subject," said Jane, "did you know The Knack's frontman died months ago in Febuary?"

"Now that sucks," agreed Tom.

Coming home didn't make the matters easier when Daria arrived and was greeted by Jake, Helen, Quinn, Steve and Ashley Amber Taylor, the Morgendorffer patriarch saying, "Hey, it's the heroine!"

"You knew?" said the brain.

"You joking?" said Quinn. "Ms. Li took it on herself to call up The Lawndale Sun Herald and the KSBC station over what you did, and they've been pestering you for an 'exclusive interview.'"

"That Angela Li is always looking for ways to boost up Lawndale High's hype," grumbled Helen, "but that was a brave thing you did."

"We never got a chance to thank you for the wonders you've done for our daughter," said Steve, "and we thank you for just now saving our Brittany from a life in hell eternal for the sin of suicide. So in appreciation for your help,  
anything you ask, we'll do."

"Deja vu," said the auburn. "So how's Brittany?"

"She'll pull through," said Ashley Amber, "with some counseling and traquilizers. That, and your friendship should get her back on the tracks. Daria, it seems Brittany's been a real good friend to you since you and your family first came to Lawndale; she sure was sweet on you when she used some of her $1200 allowence to treat you to that meal in Fort Worth."

"$1200 was her allowence?" said the surprised brain.

"Not all of it was," said Steve, with a grin on his face. "But then, we Taylors were born rich from the start so what's it matter?"

"Thanks all the same," said Daria, "but don't be treating me like I had saved the world for too long; people don't remember heroes and heroines that long."

"Don't be silly," said Helen, "look at, uh...look at, uh...look at, uh...look at, uh...look at Abraham Lincoln."

"You see, Mom?" said the brain, "you had to travel back 200 years to locate one."

"So no one's perfect," said the now blushing Morgendorffer matriarch.

As the days through Thanksgiving passed, the heroine hullabaloo soon became ancient history, to Daria's delight, which was something to be thankful for. One thing was for sure, as the brain would confide to Jane, that she and Brittany had vowed to keep to themselves whatever feelings of love the had for each other their best kept secret, and that only Jane was entrusted to the auburn's secret as well, then carry on to continue with their nomal (yet double) lives, as much as possible for now. Yet over the years in Lawndale High, given the fact in matters of seating arrangement in the classes, in which Daria now sat between Brittany and Jane, no one, not even the teachers noticed that throughout each class, the head cheerleader and the auburn had been holding each other's hand...

Indeed, during the days before and after Thanksgiving, as well as the last days of November, even during the first days of December, Daria and Brittany ached in secret for each other, yet trying to be discreet till the time was right; for Daria in particular, it was even tougher when it came to loving her AND Tom, and in secret, dating the Sloane scion at one point, then discreetly loving the head cheerleader in the next. But then, what was an outcast to do? Especially a bi outcast. However, only when the girls were safe in the bathroom, even up on the roof, with Jane as a lookout, could they make out like they did before, just as Brittany had done years before with Kevin, only with Daria picking up where the late QB left off, and with all the raging yet hidden passions they had for each other, holding, petting, kissing, even french kissing each other...

One cold December night, with the Morgendorffer house lit up with colorful Christmas lights, Jake and Helen were out on a dinner appointment with Elsie and some of Jake's fellow counseling staff, and Quinn was dating one of The 3 J's (just don't ask me which one), Daria was (what else?) up in her bedroom, checking out Sick Sad World, when she heard the doorbell; upon hearing that, the brain went down the stairs and saw Brittany with her bunny back pack and a look of cheer on her face as she said, "Daria! Who does your Christmas lights? They look gorgeous!"

"Jane did most of the work and combined stardard light bulb strands with LED strands," said the auburn. "You sure look chipper tonight."

"And why not?" said the grinning blonde, before Daria took her hand and the girls went inside and stared at the lit tree and after admiring that, went up the stairs where the brain sat on her office chair to get back to Sick Sad World, before the bimbo sat on the auburn's lap and held her by the neck, kissing her lover in delectable frenzy, Daria joining in the kisses and holding Brittany's waist, each girl trading kisses all over the face, forehead, neck and mouth, each girl holding each other and now french kissing, each girl closing her eyes, running each other's fingers through each other's hair, till they stared deeply into each other's eyes, holding, a cheerleader on a outcast's lap.

"MMMMMMMM, I missed that feeling for days," sighed the head cheerleader.

"A few days?" said the brain. "Seemed like just four days."

"So I forgot," shrugged the bimbo, who laid the auburn's head on her cheerleader outfit clad bosom; at that point, there was a commercial showing a preview of an upcoming 1930s serial film scheduled for KSBC, in which one scene depicted the female character asking her partner, "Will we spend the rest of our lives together?" Hearing that, Brittany asked,  
"Will we spend the rest of our lives together?"

"That depends on how well our luck in the world lasts," replied the brain. "But then the world is full of problems and life is full of crap, and yet some people call it The Bluebird Of Happiness."

"No kidding?" said the blonde. "No wonder it's called a sick sad world. When Kevvy ended his life which is a sin, I can only hope he's in a better place, instead of the sick sad world we're in..."

"A better place, huh?" said Daria. "If we graduate, would you be interested in living with me and Jane when we graduate from collage?"

"You mean that?" chirped the head cheerleader. "Great!" Giving the outcast a quick kiss, she added, "But let's consider where to live-how 'bout Miami, Florida?"

"Too many hurricanes, heat, humidity and drug dealers," said Daria.

"Oh, right, I forgot," mused Brittany. "Then how 'bout Washinton D.C.?"

"Didn't you tell me you hated politicians?" said the auburn.

"Oh, right, I forgot," gigled the bimbo. "Well, how 'bout Vegas, Nevada?"

"Vegas might work," said the brain, grinning her Mona Lisa grin, then looking up deeply in the blonde's azure eyes, saying trance like, "Brittany?"

"What, baby?" said the blonde.

"I love you," said the outcast.

"I love you too," said the head cheerleader, who kissed with the auburn deeply, then trurned to her back pack, saying, "Anyway, I got a surprise for you," then opened it, pulling out a box of chocolates, a bottle of white Zinfandel champagne and two glasses.

"You sure surprise me," said the auburn. "Seems you came prepared."

"Like my motto says," stated Brittany, "be prepared."

"Sorry," said Daria, "but it's the Boy Scouts' motto."

Blushing, the blonde said, "Must've been where I learned it from."

In any case, the head cheerleader opened the bottle and filled the glasses and from there, she and the brain shared the zinfandel along with the chocolates, when the announcer said, "Violating the high school rule of 'Don't bare the boosters,'  
a cheerleader squad poses nude, only to be ousted from their alma mater. Cheerleaders face a sis boom ban, right now on Sick Sad World."

"Must be that Oakwood squad that got in it," said the blonde. "Daria, a toast."

"I'll drink to that," said the brain, "but then, I'll drink to almost anything."

"To two gals starting over," said the blonde, "to friendship, to love, to fufilling our dreams of love and holding, an'  
kissin' and lovin, to take the many levels, but overall, to wake up to love."

"Whatever floats your boat," said the auburn as she clinked the glasses with the bimbo and drank their share till the bottle was nearly empty.

"So how come you came back to me, after what you put me through?" said Brittany.

"When I heard of your suicide," said the brain. "it's one to want someone out of your hair, but to want someone dead...  
guess it's the hidden compassion in me, so blame me for that."

"You cared for me," said the head cheerleader. "deep down you cared for me and loved me. Daria, thanks for coming back to me."

Unsure as to what to say, and taken aback by what the blonde said, and bogged down by the champagne's effects-well, that, and her feelings for the bimbo growing for her, combined with the stirrings within her-Daria could only say, "Any of that champagne remaining?"

"Sure," said Brittany, "but first close your eyes..."

The auburn did comply...and then she felt the most loving and the most passionate french kiss, mixed with a mouthful of the last of the champagne which was now shared between the head cheerleader and the outcast, as they drank in their share of the fizzy potion, along with the ecstasy of each other's mouths and tongues, which now entwined with each other as the girls held each other, standing up as they did so (cue First Time by Styx), savoring each other's kiss, and moaning as their bodies pressed each other's as each girl ran her fingers through the other's hair, before breaking the kiss with a lick of each other's tongue tip.

"Yum...," said Daria. "knocked my socks off..."

The bimbo giggled and said, "Be right back," before taking the champagne bottle and the glasses and whashed them out in the bathroom sink, dried them and stuck them back in her pack and then slyly approached the brain (who had turned off the TV, now that Sick Sad World had finished) saying couqette like, "Da-r-ia...let's play doctor..."

"Huh?" said the auburn.

"Come on, say 'ah,'" said Brittany as she drew her face close to Daria's, wrapping her arms round the auburn's body, as the said brain did the same, the blond giving short pecks on the mouth, each kiss lasting longer than the previous one, and soon the brain was following suit with sharing her kisses with the head cheerleader, backing up as she did so, till she lost her balance and fell on the bed, on her back, with the bimbo of top of her.

"Sorry bout that," said Daria nervously, "guess my radar wasn't working today."

"No worries," giggled Brittany, who kissed evry part of the outcast's face, finishing with her mouth and saying at the same time, "Mmmmmph, mmmmmph, mmmmmph, mmmmmph, mmmmmph, mmmmmph, mmmmmph and mmmmmph."

"Nice," said the brain. "Now it's my turn,"

So saying, the outcast covered the bimbo's face and mouth with kisses, then traced her lips with her tounge before kissing so deeply, the blonde following suit as they held and laid on the bed, the auburn's right hand caressing the head cheerleader's back, her left arm round the waist, as Brittany used a single finger to play with Daria's hair...

Looking back on it, Daria and Brittany had to admit that what they had been through that night, was a night that they would never forget, a night that took them by surprise as the head cheerleader laid her head on the outcast's shoulder as they held close, laying on the bed. From there, the girls took to gazing deep into each other's eyes.

"I love you," breathed the bimbo.

"I love you too," said the auburn. "S-O...you wanna try it again?"

"Already?" said the surprised blonde. "Now I know you've got an appitite for love."

"I don't mean right now," said Daria, " Quinn and my parents will be coming back soon, but another time, huh?"

"YAY!" chirped Brittany. "Again, you've made my dreams just as I made yours!"

The blonde and the auburn shared one last kiss before the bimbo got up, collected her stuff and her bunny pack and then she and the outcast went to the front door, the head cheerleader running out the door and down the street, back to Crewe Neck, while the brain, after closing the door, washed her face and mouth of any lip prints and cleaned up...before Quinn came back, saying, "Boy, tonight's date swung, what of your night, Daria?"

"Same old stuff," replied Daria, just as Jake and Helen arrived, the latter saying, "Daria, Quinn, if you got any Christmas shopping to do, do it while you can-it's getting to be a jungle out there."

During their Christmas shopping at The Mall Of The Millennium, Daria and Jane were in the ladies' bathroom when the Lane gal asked, "So how was your week with Brittany?"

"Couldn't be better," said the outcast.

"Sounds like your romantic tryst with Ms. Taylor was spectacular, eh?" said Jane.

"Jane," said a testy Daria, "how could you know that?"

"I chanced to pass by to check on my Christmas light handiwork," said Jane, "and I saw Brittany run out from you house like sixty, so I guessed you two met for a fun time."

"Figures," said the auburn. "You could put a lot of gossip reporters to shame."

"Not to mention a lot of paranoid goverments," said the grinning Lane gal. "No worries, aminga, your secret's safe with me, which is one of the reasons I chose the ladies' bathroom."

"As long as perverts like Upchuck don't hide out here," said the brain.

As the days passed, Daria kept up with her love lives, dating Tom on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Brittany on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with Sundays set for Jane when it came to hanging out at either house, as well as time for the Quinn, Jake and Helen-and all without the Sloane scion, let alone the rest of the Morgendorfferas and the Taylors getting wise. Least it gave everyone time to do their own thing. So far, Daria got some Christmas gifts from her sister and her parents, as well as Jane, who gave her the current seasons of Sick Sad world on DVD, while Tom gave her a book titled A History Of Foreign Films, while Brittany, who met up with the auburn on Christmas Day at the Taylor house, gave her a platinum frame to place any one of her fave photos in it, so when they met up with Jane later in the day,  
the Lane gal, took a digital shot of the brain and the head cheerleader, printed it out on high quality paper on her computer and stick it in the frame-something that all girls would treasure, however, for the benefit of Tom and her family, the outcast WAS careful to hide the photo in her closet.

New Year's Eve was at hand, the start of of a new year-a new year in which much of Lawndale High's almer mater, Daria included, and hope fully, if she, Jane and Brittany could pull it off, both at Lawndale high, and their collages, Vegas was next. Right now, the auburn and Tom were at the Lane house for an all night New Year's Eve party, with Quinn at sandi's for a sleepover to welcome the new year. So far, Trent and his Mystik Sprial band (with Monique jamming with them on her Hammond organ), along with Jane, the said Daria and Tom, and, to the surprise of those gathered, Brittany,  
were there.

"So what will you do once we're in the new year?" said Tom.

"Graduate, and settle with Jane after collage in Vegas," replied Daria.

"So the old year's almost over," said Jane, "and good riddence. But then, it's the same with every year, the same old thing."

"You'd think something different could be added," agreed the Sloane scion, " like a change in the script of life."

"If it's the game of life," said the auburn, "it's time to break out the Game Genie."

Just then, Brittany showed up, saying, "Thanks for inviting me to your New Year's shindig, Jane."

"Anytime, Little Ms. Rah Rah," said a grinning Lane gal. "Figured we could liven it up somewhat."

"I remember you," said Tom, you lived up in the Crewe Neck section of Lawndale."

"Yup," said Brittany. "Some people think my family was born to be rich now and then."

"My family felt that way themselves," said the Sloane scion."Here come the Roman candles and fireworks; it's almost you firecrackers, it's time to welcome the new year with them."

From there, everyone went outside to the back yard Whwere Trent handed out Roman candles and firecrackers, then by counting down on his watch, midnight came, and with it, a new year, as everyone lit their candles which spat out fire balls in the air and and their firecrackers which exploded on the grass-and that was when Tom pulled Daria in for a kiss, adding, "That is for the first woman I kissed for the new year."

"You better believe it," said the brain, who waited until the Sloane scion was distracted by some sky rockets the next door neighbors were shotting up and in that moment, she grabbed Brittany nearby close to her and gave her a big kiss, which the bimbo shared, before composing themselves, just as Tom turned back and said, "Looks like those oither neighbors got it made when it comes to fireworks."

"Let's just say," said the brain, "when it comes to kisses and fireworks, in both, the sparks sure fly."

"Amen," said Jane.

Long after Daria and Tom said their farewells, long after everyone but Trent, Jane, Brittany and the auburn went home,  
the said outcast was in bed with the head cheerleader in the Lanes' guest room, no doubt by special arrangement with Jane, when it came to Trent's "you don't know and you don't want to know" mannerisms. Right now, they were sharing zinfandel champagne (what else?) and sugar cookies as they kissed; the brin knew how to double her fun when it came to New Year's Eve, as well as Tom and Brittany on the sly.

"Happy new year, baby," said the blonde, who was running her fingers through the brain's hair, then added, "Be right back,  
got to get the last of the cookies so we can finish them off, but first, I got nature's call."

Climbing off the bed, Brittany went out for the toliet, Daria noticing that the bimbo's role as the head cheerleader for Lawndale High's cheerleading squad was a benefit in shaping her body with all those jumps, cartwheels, splits and such,  
because the blonde's said body was so firm and curvy, but them for all her own trademark clothing, deep down, Daria was no slouch in the body department either...

Now that the new year was here, the auburn had a lot to think of; would she and Brittany graduate at the same time? Would they live with Jane, and possibly Tom? It was getting hard to decide who to spend the rest of her life with the one she truly loved. For now, it was best to allow fate decide the outcome and wait and see...

In any case, Brittany came back, climbed back on the bed and twined her arms 'round the outcast before they kissed so deep and long, before the blonde said, "Good thing our parents trust Jane so well in allowing me and you to stay with her."

"So you've noticed, huh?" said the brain. "The question is, ever wish all that could last for so long?"

"Oh, you better believe it, baby!" chirped the head cheerleader. "If we could graduate and then make it big in collage, we can finally be together in Vegas...for now, let's wait and see what happens..." Another deeper french kiss, and she added,  
"Daria, do cheerleaders like me dream of football stars and brains like you?"

"I wager you do," said the outcast, who climbed off the bed, adding, "After I answer what nature wants, you interested in trying some imported champagne from Austrailia that Jane got for me?"

So far, it seems the Morgendorffer/Sloane/Taylor love triangle's forging ahead. So far, the T man doesn't suspect that his brainy love of his life is cheating, but then, he did the same thing when he was Jane's beau so what can we make from that?  
Let's just hope the inhabitants of The Isle Of Lesbos start taking notes...  
-a440

Coming up: Daria Loves Brittany


	6. Daria Loves Brittany

Surprises, surprises! But then surprises can come in bad and good, and vice versa.  
-a440

Daria Loves Brittany

As a rule, when a student graduated, it was said to be a happy occasion, but for Daria Morgendorffer, who was one of Lawndale High's latest grads, such wasn't the case.

"You're joking, right?" said Brittany.

"Nope," said a downcast Daria, who with the blonde and Jane, had met at The Pizza King for what might be the last time, adding, " Try as I might, my folks and Tom's were hard headed, so like it or not, he's set for a different collage, while I get Raft Collage."

"That sucks," said Jane. "But wait-Brittany's going to a different collage as well."

"Think I don't know that?" said the blonde forlornly. "My graduation was bittersweet because Kevvy didn't get to see me graduate...worse still, I'll miss you a lot, Daria...and you too, Jane."  
Seeing the tears welling up in the bimbo's eyes, the auburn ventured, "Your pop told me, that for saving you, he'd offer me anything I wanted, right?"

"I remember, so?" said Brittany.

"Got a plan?" said the Lane gal. "Yet another romantic tryst? Planning some last fling for Ms.  
B.T.?"

"Maybe," replied the brain. "Brittany, you took me out for a meal, now it's my turn, with some Montana Cabin Fund legerdermain..."

With graduation over with, there was plenty of time prior to taking off to collage, yet at first it wasn't easy, with so many promises and stipulations at hand and the same rules as before, but once again, Daria and Brittany were bound on yet another plane, only it was for Chicago, Illinois, to the Numero Uno pizza place for deep dish pizza-the trademark staple of The Windy City. And even as the bimbo and the auburn reached for the last two slices, each couldn't help but admit they were so much in love with each other; for Daria, if she had lost Tom, at least there was someone else waiting, and Brittany was her name, for at last,  
the blonde was hers by her side to stay. And for Brittany, if there were no hitches, if she and Daria ever were reunited after graduating from collage, if she was allowed to live with the brunette and Jane in Vegas, then at last, the bimbo and the outcast could live the rest of their lives together. Even so, they also couldn't help but feel sad over the fact that they would be heading to sperate collages miles apart...

"Daria," said the bimbo, after they had finished their pizza, "what made you think of Chicago deep dish pizza in Chicago, no less?"

"You treated me to your kind of taste in Forth Worth, so I figured I'd pay you back with my own kind in Chicago,"  
replied the brain. "Besides, think of it as our last fling before we're collage bound."

"Thanks," said Brittany, the tears welling up as she bawled, "I'll miss you a lot, Daria, you were my greatest love of all, and I don't know if we may see each other again...!"

"I feel for you, whatever you believe it or not," said the auburn, her eyes also tearing up; they hurried to finish their soda and pizza, then went for the ladies bathroom to hold and cry together, each girl bawling her head of in the other girl's chest, wetting each other's outfit with her tears, then kissing each other's tears away before kissing each other deeply, burrowing each other's mouth with the deepest french kiss as they held, their most passionate kiss at that, holding even closer as if they never wanted to part, till at last, they broke the kiss, washed their faces, paid the check for the pizza and drinks and ran for someplace they could stay at, till they came to a hotel and settled in for the night...

Once, at the air conditioned hotel room which had a king sized bed, Daria and Brittany held each other again, kissing deep beyond deep, running each other's fingers in their hair, kissing, holding, necking, petting and loving with all the unrestrained passion, wanting so much from each other, and once again, as they did before in the Morgendorffer house,  
they fell on the bed, only it was the auburn on top of the blonde, kissing and holding and loving, never wanting to stop, knowing they would head their seperate ways to different collages; at one point, it was the outcast's turn to say, "I love you."

"I love you too," said the bimbo, "and I want to be with you always..."

"Same with me," said Daria, before she and Brittany resumed their kissing and such-and whatever else they had on their minds...

Morning came, and once again, Daria and Brittany woke up on the bed, waking up each other with a kiss, aware they had been through a lot the day before, if not the night.

"Wow," said the blonde. "It's too bad we know what's coming next, when it comes to me and you going to collage..."

"I wouldn't doubt it," said the auburn. "Seems we did more than do the time warp..."

Must've been some fun that went on between the now former head cheerleader and our heroine, but now, it's back to Lawndale, Maryland, before the gals get collage bound. Well, guess that sums it up.  
-a440

Coming up: Epilogue


	7. Epilogue

It's tough trying to stay in character, it's tougher trying to avoid Mary Sues, it's tougher still trying to stay in canon, but what's even tougher? Trying to finish something you start. But can our heroine and the pom pom meister do the same?  
-a440

Epilogue

The years passed, and a lot of changes happened while Daria, Brittany and Jane were collage, with Quinn graduating with Stacy, Tiffany and Sandi, DeMartino retiring from teaching and it was rumored Ms. Li was also doing some shady deals upon her retirement, presumably with the Russian Spetsnaz. As for Tim O' Neil, he and Janet Barch were married, Clare DeFoe settled in a boheimian community, Diane Bennett now worked in Cashman's and Samantha Morris opened up her own gym. Other than that, not much had changed, not even when those said girls graduated from collage, starting with Daria and Jane coming home to the Morgendorffer house, to be embarrassed by the greets and such from Jake and Helen, the matriarch saying, "Congratulations on your gradutation from Raft! You've got no idea how much that meant to me and your dad."

"And vice versa," said Jake."So what happens now that you and Jane graduated?" said the Morgendorffer matriarch. "At least Quinn's bound for Manatee Collage, just like she hoped for."

"We heard that there was an opening at a Vegas, Nevada TV station," ventured Daria.

"And they were looking for an idea for a moring show for them," said Jane, "so, if you give me and Daria our blessings,  
we'll apply there and we can pitch our show to them. We'll call it Good Mornings with Daria & Jane."

"A morning talk show in Vegas?" said Helen. "Good Mornings With Daria & Jane...sounds just right. you think they'll buy it?"

"One can hope," said the auburn, "besides, Jane's got some friends in Vegas with some connections to the studio."

"That figures," said the Morgendorffer patriarch. "Well, Jane-o, if you can work something out, I say, do it."

At that moment there was a knock on the door, which brought...Brittany, whose eyes were streaming tears-  
tears of joy as she said, "Daria...," then she and the outcast held each other and cried in joy, then the blonde gave the same greeting to Jane, who was half amused and half embarrassed; the bimbo composed herself and said,  
"I missed you all...I had a feeling we'd be together again."

"You ahad a guess?" said Daria. "So did I."

"So, what brings you here now that you graduated, Britt-o?" said Jake.

"I was thinking of starting a career in Vegas," replied the blonde.

"You too?" said Helen. "You know, Daria and Jane were thinking the same thing; maybe they could help you out..."

"Help her out?" said the Lane gal. "How can we help her out?"

"Maybe there is a way...," said the outcast. "Not the best way, but still a way, nonetheless..."

Two years had passed since that reunion, but beforehand, Daria and her parents saw Quinn of with kisses and hugs before the redhead rode the train that would take her to Florida, and Manatee Collage. Then, afterwards, was a van that Trent had bought and sold to Jane before she, Daria and Brittany used it to move out, for the long road for Vegas, Nevada,  
their parents wishing them well...soon, they had settled, in a plaster house near the strip, and in a matter of two years, Good Mornings with Daria & Jane was the most high rated show on the Vegas station, while Brittany worked as a drink waitress at one of the hotel casinos, occasionally helping Daria and Jane out as a consultant of food ideas, some of which sparked the interest of the auburn and the Lane gal...yet no one knew that the brain and the bimbo were lovers to the end at home, not a soul but Jane, the wiser, the two loving as they did before, making out and then some...

Right now, it was at their Vegas home, after a long day at work, as the sun was sinking into the west, that Daria and Brittany were laying on the bed, the blonde holding the auburn close in her hold, when the brain said, "Would you had loved me if Kevin hadn't blown his brains out?"

"Maybe," said the bimbo, "then we've would've been on the same level, cheating on our lovers, for the love of me and you.  
Say, Daria, you know what day it is today?"

"Guy Fawkes Day?" said the outcast.

"No, silly," said Brittany with a grin, "it's Sweetest Day, when all that started." So saying, she got up and pulled out from the closet nearby, a bottle of Dom Perigon, roses and a box of brown and white chocolates with a card, saying, "Happy Sweetest Day, Daria."

Blushing at all that, all Daria could say was, "You nearly topped what I got for you," then pulled from under the bed a card, a bouquet of roses, cherry licorice, zinfandel champagne and an oversized bunny doll.

"WOW!" squealed the blonde, "Now I got a bunny to go with my teddy bear! Thank you, Daria...I love you..."

"I love you too," said the auburn as she and the bimbo hugged and kissed deeply, put the roses in a vase of water and the champagne and candy in the refridgerator and laid on the bed, deeply kissing and holding, allowing their passions to take them as far as they desired...

Sweetest Day was what started it all, and for Daria and Brittany, that holiday changed their lives as once again, they laid on the bed in each other's hold, occasionally trading a kiss, till finally, the blonde said, "We got a long day ahead, so let's do what we do best...good night, Daria."

"Right back at you," said the brain before sharing a good night kiss with the bimbo, then turning off the lights, then the girls enjoyed each other's company as they drifted off to slumberland...until, Daria asked, "Think we can get a girl for Jane?"

"We'll work on it," said a sleepy Brittany.

the end

Yet another muse is finished at last, so now maybe I can get back to my old job of selling designer jeans.  
Who knows what I may invent next for fanfiction? Well, let's hope Lawndale can use another writer for their saga.  
-a440 


End file.
